Progress in the garden is slow right now. I'm gardening in pots, and the patio has hit critical mass - which means I need to be creative and rearrange things off the patio.

Problem is, my tools for this are broken. I have a dolly that can take 300#s - but it's got a flat. I need to take it to an autoshop so they can do the blast of air to set it on the rim, otherwise, I can't get it inflated. Today? Not so much with the autoshop.

So my fall-back is my big ol'wheelbarrow. Which also has a flat. And I'm a bit miffed on that one. Big box stores, they'll sell you stuff, but you can't get anything to fix the stuff they sell you. My wheelbarrow is the big Rubbermaid one. It has a tubed tire that resembles a mountain bike wheel. I need a new tube.

Home Depot doesn't sell it.
The bike shop doesn't sell it.
Rubbermaid doesn't sell it.
All together now, THANKS, GUYS!

Sigh.

Comments

[Aiyana]

Try Ebay!
Aiyana

[swamp4me]

We feel your pain! Our wheelbarrow has a flat that we can't fix because we can't get the tire set on the rim and we can't find a new tire that is the right size. I think it is a conspiracy ;)

[Jenn]

Swampy, is it the same kind of barrow?

There's a trick the bike store guy told me about setting the tread, if you've got a tubed tire in the bike wheel format. Put a strap around the circumference and pressure it down until the rim of the tread is staying inside the rim of the wheel - then apply the air to the tube. Once the tread 'sets' you can remove the compression band and put the tire to the correct pressure.

Maybe that will help you?

[MrBrownThumb]

That sucks. I hate when you buy something and then your only option besides getting it fixed is to buy a new one.

btw I LOLed really hard at your Hudsons comment. :0)

[Annie in Austin]

Yeah, I hear you too, Jenn - need an inner tube for the wheelbarrow and can't find them in stores. Looked online and cost & shipping almost equals a new wheelbarrow. Only other users are small aircraft!

Phooey.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

[eliz]

planned obsolescence; it' s the American way!

[jenn]

I have to agree with you, eliz. It's gonna be a HARD transition back to the land of durable goods for this nation, but it's gonna happen eventually.

[Mo]

I'm with you my friend! Our wheelbarrow has been sitting wheel-less for over a year now. I can't bring myself to get rid of it though it isn't much use obviously.

It is currently sitting over a bale of straw and stopping it from flying away in any wind we might get. Actually does that job great.

Perhaps considering the amount of sympathetic responses you have had to this post that this could be a future business opportunity in the making??